Drug addiction and denial

One of the most dangerous effects of drug abuse and addiction is denial. The urge to use is so strong that the mind finds many ways to rationalize the addiction. You may drastically underestimate the quantity of drugs you’re taking, how much it impacts your life, and the level of control you have over your drug use.

Denial is an unconscious defense mechanism. Minimizing and rationalizing the addiction is less scary than admitting that your drug use is dangerously out of control. But the cost of denial can be extremely high, including the loss of important relationships, your job, financial security, and your physical and mental health.

Warning Signs of Teen Drug Use

There are many warning signs of drug use and abuse in teenagers. The challenge for parents is to distinguish between the normal, sometimes volatile, ups and downs of the teen years and the red flags of substance abuse.

1. Being secretive about friends, possessions, and activities.
2. New interest in clothing, music, and other items that highlight drug use.
3. Demanding more privacy; locking doors; avoiding eye contact; sneaking around.
4. Skipping class; declining grades; suddenly getting into trouble at school.
5. Missing money, valuables, or prescriptions.
6. Acting uncharacteristically isolated, withdrawn, or depressed.
7. Using incense, perfume, or air freshener to hide the smell of smoke or drugs.
8. Using eyedrops to mask bloodshot eyes or dilated pupils.

What drugs are most commonly abused and what are the signs and symptoms?

Almost all drugs have the potential for addiction and abuse, from caffeine to prescription medication. However, the majority of non-alcohol related addictions are due to a short list of drugs including sleeping pills, painkillers, cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamine, and heroin.

Drug abusers often try to conceal their symptoms and downplay their problem. If you’re worried that a friend or family member might be abusing drugs, look for the following warning signs:

1. Physical warning signs of drug abuse

Signs and Symptoms of Drug Abuse and Drug Addiction

Common signs and symptoms of drug abuse are:

1. You are neglecting your responsibilities at school, work, or home (flunking classes, skipping work, neglecting your children) because of your drug use.

2. You are using drugs under dangerous conditions or taking risks while high, such as driving while on drugs, using dirty needles, or having unprotected sex.
3. Your drug use is getting you into legal trouble, such as arrests for disorderly conduct, driving under the influence, or stealing to support a drug habit.
4. Your drug use is causing problems in your relationships, such as fights with your partner or family members, an unhappy boss, or the loss of old friends.

The far-reaching effects of drug abuse and drug addiction

While each drug of abuse produces different physical effects, all abused substances share one thing in common. They hijack the brain’s normal “reward” pathways and alter the areas of the brain responsible for self-control, judgment, emotional regulation, motivation, memory, and learning.

a short-term fix with long-term consequences

Many people use drugs in order to escape physical and emotional discomfort. Maybe you started drinking to numb feelings of depression, smoking pot to deal with stress at home or school, relying on cocaine to boost your energy and confidence, using sleeping pills to cope with panic attacks, or taking prescription painkillers to relieve chronic back pain.

5 Myths about Drug Addiction and Substance Abuse

MYTH 1: Overcoming addiction is a simply a matter of willpower. You can stop using drugs if you really want to. Prolonged exposure to drugs alters the brain in ways that result in powerful cravings and a compulsion to use. These brain changes make it extremely difficult to quit by sheer force of will.

Signs, Symptoms, and Help for Drug Problems and Substance Abuse

Signs, Symptoms, Effects and Testing for Drug Abuse and Addiction

Understanding drug addiction
Alcoholism & Alcohol Abuse are Smoking, Gambling Addiction and Internet Addiction.

Addiction is a complex disorder characterized by compulsive drug use. People who are addicted feel an overwhelming, uncontrollable need for drugs or alcohol, even in the face of negative consequences. This self-destructive behavior can be hard to understand. Why continue doing something that’s hurting you? Why is it so hard to stop?

10 Reasons Teenagers Should Avoid Alcohol

Alcohol can come from anywhere. There are 10 reasons why it should be shunned alcoholic beverages. Alcoholic beverages can indeed good for health, for example, warms the body in the cold air. But a lot happens to excess alcohol consumption to the benefit is lost. No matter what age a person, alcohol can cause serious impact on the health and herself. Excerpted from the LIVESTRONG, there are 10 reasons why alcohol beverage worthy shunned, namely:

Keep Your Teens from Alcohol

STUDY with nearly 5,000 adolescents found that the education has only a small effect on the possibility of teenagers try alcohol. However, care is profoundly influenced adolescents addicted to the drink.

Teens with a 'tough old man', in restraint of children and parents struggle to show emotions, risk more than doubled to heavy drinkers than adolescents with parents who care and loving.

Distancing Children from Alcohol

Not only from smoking, parents should be able to keep children from alcohol consumption.
If you want to alienate the children from alcohol, watch the movies that are watched. Since, teenagers are allowed to watch adult movies, more likely to begin drinking alcohol while growing up.

Who is affected by drug biased?

Some peoples are more likely, Than others to have problems related to alcohol or drug abuse include:

1. Teenagers and Young Adults.
That Teens use alcohol and drugs are more likely, to have poor school performance and have higher dropout rates. The fact, one-half of all high school seniors in the U.S. Used admit to having alcohol or an illegal drug. Substance abuse in this age increases the risk of involvement in crime, high-risk sexual behavior, accidents, and injuries.

Drug Addiction in a Fact Now

Drug dependence or addiction occurs Pls use the drug develop a physical or emotional "need" for a drug. They are Unable to control your use of a drug despite the negative impact it has on your life. You May not be aware That you have changed from dependence on a drug Until you try to stop taking it.

Drugs? Is it Really They Wanted?

Drug abuse includes the use of illegal drugs and the abuse of legal prescription and nonprescription drugs. What is the illegal drugs? There such as marijuana, methamphetamines, cocaine, heroin, or other "street drugs". And why some people use drugs? They use drugs to get a "high" or to relieve stress and emotional problems.